Balancing your Mirror Muscles

 Body symmetry is exceptionally important for bodybuilding and weightlifting - but what many people don't realize is that body symmetry also effects many other things too.

MUSCLE IMBALANCE = BACK PAIN

For example, did you know that pregnant women develop overly strong back muscles during the pregnancy? The reason is so they can support the extra weight of a baby and all the extra water weight, and that with time this leads to back pain - even after the baby has been born.

Now you might think, wait, why would they have back pain if their back is STRONGER? Shouldn't a strong back eliminate back pain?

Nope, and therein lies the problem. Many people don't realize that the primary source of backpain is a loss of balance between front mirror muscles and their back muscles. Often it is directly connected on a lateral level.

Examples

Small pectoral muscles = upper back pain.

Small abdominal muscles = lower back pain. (Especially since people often have weak lower back muscles in the first place.)

The reason is because the pectorals and abs are also used for balance, and if those muscles are smaller / weaker the back muscles in the corresponding mirror muscles have to work twice as hard in order for a person to maintain their balance and posture. A person with really lax muscle mirror muscles is going to have really bad posture and lots of back pain.

It is possible to have overdeveloped front torso muscles, which is exceptionally rare for the common person, but more common for bodybuilders who place too much emphasis on their front muscles because they want large pecs and abs. Since humans use their backs for so many things it is usually the back muscles which become overdeveloped and the front muscles which suffer.

AESTHETICS

Training for muscular balance is important is also important for aesthetics. Visually people are just not attractive if they have one part of their body that is abnormally large to the point it becomes grotesque.

For example people who don't exercise properly often develop a "crooked six pack" in their abdominal region - like in the photo below.

So basically there is many ways a person can screw up the symmetry of their muscles - both front and back, and also side to side.

It can be fixed with time fortunately, but it is best to take preventative measures while you are exercising so you use proper form. The use of proper form during each exercise means you won't be sloppy and then overusing one muscle compared to the other - the constant use of one muscle and ignoring its mirror muscle will always result in an imbalance over time.

On an aesthetic level bodybuilders can see their front muscles in the mirror easily, and exercises wise it is more fun to do bench presses and bicep curls. For most people however it is the opposite. They use their back for lifting things regularly, whereas weightlifters have been taught proper form and to lift with their legs more so they don't injure their back - and thus training their backs becomes a problem.

The end result is that aesthetically different people need to do different things to correct their muscle imbalances.

STABILITY / PREVENTS INJURIES

Having strong and well balanced front and back muscles means you will have better balance and stability - which is important while lifting heavy weights as you will be using your muscles both to lift the weight and to maintain balance. Having the extra mirror muscles will take up some of the effort of maintaining your balance while the other muscles do the job of lifting the heavy object.

Trying to lift the heavy object AND maintain your balance with just the one set of muscles is going to lead to injury over time due to bad posture. In my head I see a cartoon of a man falling over and the box landing on top of him because he can't maintain his balance, but this is only a literal interpretation. The reality is that overuse of one set of muscles will cause them to eventually rip - ripped muscles is normally a good thing in bodybuilding - but in this case a rip could mean ripped ligaments, which is exceptionally painful and sometimes untreatable.

Common injuries like hernias for example can be prevented by developing better mirror muscles. It is well worth it to make the effort. Do a google image search for hernia sometime and that should scare you into exercising your mirror muscles more to correct your imbalances.

FIXING MUSCLE IMBALANCES

Overdeveloped Back

The majority of you are probably reading this because you are an average person and have back pain. So the quick answer is for you to work on your pectorals, abdominal muscles and even your oblique (side) muscles.

This means doing exercises like push ups, sit ups, and side twists to build up pecs, abs and obliques. It is a relatively easy fix, takes you about 5 - 10 minutes every day and keep doing that for several months and you should have a lot less back pain as those muscles grow. (Unless you have chronic back pain caused by something else, like a slipped disk in your spine. In which case see your doctor.)

Overdeveloped Front

If you are the opposite however, someone who has been weight training for a long time and has developed overly large front muscles and neglected your back then there is a variety of exercises you can.

#1. Take up archery (archers tend to develop overly large back muscles, so this is a quick solution to your problem if your front muscles are currently overdeveloped - see Mirror Muscles for Archery).

#2. Use any kind of pulling machine in the gym. Rowing machines work well too.

#3. Be creative and use dumbbells in pulling exercises. Exercises like reverse flies. Make sure the weights are heavy enough to challenge you.

#4. Body weight exercises that use your back muscles. Pull ups, chin ups use your back shoulder muscles and your back muscles for balance.

#5. T Flies - Bend forward at the waist so that the back is very straight. Look down and with straight arms, slowly flap your arms. You may feel silly doing this at the gym so do it at home. Each time your arms come up to as high as they can go, really focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together. When they come all of the way back down, focus on stretching the back and shoulder muscles forward.

#6. Yoga - Hold the poses for longer periods of time to stress your muscles more. Try
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga to get a more powerful workout.

OTHER WEIRD IMBALANCES

Biceps Vs Triceps

Pain in your biceps can mean you are overusing your biceps in your effort to get bigger - a common problem with newbs at the gym. This affliction is rare because the triceps are used in many exercises so the good news is you can easily fix it by doing more triceps exercises regularly.

Biceps may get more attention, but anyone who has been concerned over the back of the arm being flab, or just having nicely toned arms in general, will have trained their triceps.

The triceps are easy to train with exercises such as dips, overhead extension, and skull crushers but also shows results really quickly because the triceps build bulk muscle faster.

Lower Back and Abs

The lower back is probably the least trained muscle group of all. If any muscle should be trained, it is this one - but you need to exercise your abs too so you correct the imbalance without making a new imbalance.

I recommend doing abs and lats exercises FIRST during a workout so you get it over and done with. Many people do these exercises last and sometimes forget to do them. Or skip them entirely. This doesn't help them since the lower back and abs is used for core balance, and injury prevention.

Nobody is ever going to compliment you on your toned lower back, but the muscles there are exceptionally important for balance, posture and injury prevention.

Try doing alternating back extensions, either on all fours or on your belly. See photos below.

Another good one is Superman Pushups. They make look easy but they are harder than they look because most people have weak lower back muscles.

Hamstrings

Many people neglect to exercise the back of their legs. But there are man common exercises that build muscle there.

Squats
Bicycling
Lunges
Standing Leg Curls
Straight Leg Deadlift
Snap Kicks
Sprinting (especially on a sandy beach, because it works them harder)

CONCLUSIONS

Mirror muscles are exceptionally important for aesthetics, sports training, balance, strong core muscles, pain prevention and preventing injuries. I cannot emphasize the importance of Mirror Muscle Training enough. For whatever exercise goals you have set forth for yourself, you should do complimentary Mirror Muscle Training to give yourself a physical edge.

Mirror Muscles for Archery

Many archers over time develop really strong back muscles because they are using the back muscles a lot for pulling and steadying their bow.

However the problem is that as time progresses their back muscles becomes overdeveloped, their form deteriorates and they can't balance properly while performing a shot.

There is however a solution.

Push ups.

Just good old fashioned push ups targets the Mirror Muscles for archery - which in this case is the pectorals or "pecs". Push ups also build shoulder and triceps, muscles archers also use a lot, so it is ultimately a very good exercise for archers to be doing on a daily basis.

I recommend 100 pushups per day. Either 5 sets of 20, 10 sets of 10, however you get them done so long as you can do them and build up the corresponding muscles and mirror muscles.

The problem however is that many new archers don't know this - often because they're new to the sport and no nothing about sports conditioning. So they are operating under the illusion / myth that they don't need to do push ups and don't know the benefits that stronger mirror muscles will give to their form.

And this is true for many newcomers to sports. Many people who take up boxing for example don't understand why boxers often train by skipping rope - because it builds endurance, balance and feet coordination, all of which are important during a boxing match.

It is purest simple minded thinking (combined with a dose of laziness) that causes amateurs to think they don't need to do something to reach their goal. It never occurs to them that to reach (a) goal, they have to (b) train regularly and (c) do complimentary exercises. Or even (d) eat a healthy balanced diet.

Other complimentary exercises for archery...

#1. Yoga - builds balance and core muscles. Also boosts mental acuity and concentration. 20 to 30 minutes of yoga every day can give an archer a serious edge.

#2. Situps - builds abdominal muscles, which also boosts balance and is a mirror muscle for the lower back. 100 per day is a good number.

#3. Squats - builds leg muscles and boosts the balance in your legs. 100 per day.

Basically archers use almost all their body in performing a shot because they need better balance so they can steady their shot. It is true that certain muscles, like the back, shoulders and triceps are used more - but overdeveloping those muscles will cause their form to fall to pieces.

Revamping Your Workout

Every winter I change up my exercise routine.

2 winters ago I was doing lots of situps, pushups, jumping jacks and a variety of body weight exercises for building core strength. Because I love using traditional exercises.

Last winter I was focusing on upper body muscle gain - shoulders, triceps, biceps, etc.

This coming winter I want to focus on my abs.

Which means a combination of cardio exercises (likely utilizing the Afterburn Effect so I can shed a few extra pounds and avoid the post-Christmas paunch) and ab workouts.

I also want to focus on upper body strength again this year, but this time doing more pushups to target my pectorals, triceps and back muscles.

However knowing how to revamp my workout in this way takes years to determine what "B" exercises I need to do in order to get "A" results. (And what kind of "C" diet I should be eating.)

And this is just one of the many services a personal trainer can help you with. (Hint hint, hire me!)

So what are the results I am looking for? Nicer abs and pecs. I am easy to please that way. But it will also up my archery form by giving me better mirror muscles - right now I have overdeveloped back muscles and I need to fix this by working on my front muscles more, namely the abs and pecs. The overdeveloped back muscles is because I have been doing archery almost every day this Summer.

So what will my personal workout look like this winter? (I say winter, but I am starting this workout in Autumn.)

Well I am still fine tuning it, but here goes...

MY NEW WINTER WORKOUT ROUTINE

High Intensity Jumping Jacks, 3 times MAE (Morning, Afternoon, Evening). 200 each time.

2 sets of 25 pushups, 3 times MAE.

YOGA, 20 minutes in the morning.

Pectoral and Shoulder focused weightlifting, afternoon.

Situps with Weights and resistance bands, evening.

Oblique Twists x 100, afternoon.

Squats x 100, evening.

MUSIC

Now you might go, wait, music? Yes. Music. I do all my weightlifting, yoga, etc while listening to music. I have gotten bored of the songs I was listening to last winter so it is time to revamp my playlist so I feel more revved up while exercising. Gonna Fly Now will still be on my exercise music playlist however, as will Eye of the Tiger.


DIET

Diet wise I have increased my green tea intake (for its anti-toxin properties), and I want to explore new vegan recipes this winter. I am not fabulous in the kitchen, but I can follow a recipe. I want more vegan recipes because I am no expert at cooking veggies and I want to increase my veggie intake.

Last winter and the year before I was experimenting a lot with high protein pancakes and that is too high in carbs (although I was getting a lot of protein from them), so this year I want to explore more low carb alternatives that are still high in protein. Less flour and more eggs.

The Afterburn Effect

The Afterburn Effect is a little known but very useful way to burn calories.

Whenever you get your heart rate up to approx. 80% of its maximum (for your age category) it kickstarts a chemical process whereby your body starts consuming more fat in your body. [Note: A similar effect is caused when you take cold showers, which starts burning brown fat.] This bio-chemical process will burn roughly 500 calories (exact results vary on the person and the exercise you did to kickstart it) over the next 24 hours.

Once started the Afterburn Effect burns through lots of calories and for the next 24 hours you feel really energetic and alive - and you are burning calories without realizing it. Over the next day you will feel less hungry and more energetic. The loss of hunger will be due to burning fat stores in massive amounts.

WAYS TO KICKSTART THE AFTERBURN EFFECT

#1. Sprinting really hard for several minutes. Lets say you sprint / run as fast as you can for 6 minutes and then stop. You will be out of breath, but the Afterburn Effect will be triggered.

#2. Cycling really hard.

#3. Fast Jogging - Not exactly running, but not jogging either. It may take longer than sprinting, but it will eventually get your heart rate way up there. Jogging by itself is not a guarantee that you will get your heart rate high enough so you have to push yourself to go faster than normal.

#4. Swimming, the faster the better.

#5. High Intensity Interval Training - The more intense the exercise the better the Afterburn Effect will be.

Basically any kind of cardio exercise which gets your heart pumping really fast will cause you to kickstart the Afterburn Effect. Any kind of high intensity training, including interval training or adrenaline sport, can kickstart the extra fat burn.

If you do a cardio exercise, like boxing for example, and then reach a point whee you are out of breath and have to stop then you probably hit the point where you kickstarted the Afterburn Effect.

HOW TO GET MORE RESULTS USING THE AFTERBURN EFFECT

#1. Exercise FASTER at the beginning of your exercise routine.

#2. Use Interval Training to give yourself breathers in between intense exercises.

#3. Use a heart monitor so you can get a measurement of how well you are raising your heart rate.

#4. Exercise once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once in the evening around 7 PM. 5 to 10 minutes each time will do it, as long as the exercises you are doing are intense and getting your heart rate up.

Number 4 above is super important, because it can cause a Double or Triple Afterburn Effect, causing you to burn intense amounts of fat in an hurry. It won't burn 1000 or 1500 calories, but it can raise it above 500 to around 700 to 900 calories. Do that 4 or 5 days in a row and you've already lost a pound of fat. Every day for a month and that is about 6 or 7 pounds, all for doing 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the afternoon, and 10 minutes in the evening.

SO WHY ISN'T EVERYONE DOING THIS?

Honestly. It is the same excuses people usually give for not exercising. "Don't have the time." "My knees hurt." "I always forget to exercise." Things like that.

The solution therefore is to make a schedule, find the time in your schedule, and if your knees hurt or something like that then find a cardio exercise which doesn't hurt your knees (eg. boxing).

If you find the time you can burn the calories so fast you will be amazed by the results.

And what is better is that these high intensity exercises also work very well for people with thyroid conditions. So you've got no excuses people. Add some intensity to your daily workout and see better results!

You are never too old to start a new sport

I was going through old emails earlier today and found one I had failed to answer (it was in the wrong folder).

In the email a mother was talking about signing her son up for archery lessons and said "he is kind of too old to start new sports".

I read this with quiet bemusement.

I didn't laugh out loud or anything. I was just mildly amused and a tad indignant. How is SIXTEEN too old to start a new sport?

I mean com'on, many athletes don't start their preferred sport until they are 17, 18, 19 or well into their 20s.

And there is nothing stopping adults and even seniors from taking up a sport - including a competitive sport - well into their golden years.

An elderly (and even overweight person) can easily learn to do the splits (see photo below) or any number of other activities during their older years.

They might get really into bicycles - and even fixing bicycles in their old age.

They might take up archery as a recreational sport - or even compete in archery competitions.

They might even take up boxing, martial arts or yoga.

What it really comes down to is that there is nothing stopping you from starting a new sport - and even competing in a new sport.

Age, disability, sex/gender, being overweight - these are just excuses.

Willpower and taking the first steps towards a new goal, those are the deciding factors.

Where to buy Whey Protein and Protein Bars

Whey protein is a must for weightlifters and anyone looking to build more muscle - including athletes. I would even argue that even ballet dancers should be consuming whey protein regularly, as the extra muscles will help prevent dance injuries.

However figuring out where to regularly buy your whey protein is a bit of mystery.

My advice is to shop around a bit and compare prices - and remember what percentage of protein the mix you are buying is, and the flavour.

I myself prefer chocolate whey protein, with a high protein content of 90% or so.

Below are two photos of prices from different locations. The first is from Bulk Barn, where the chocolate whey protein (90%) was being sold for $4.87 per 100 g.

And the second below is a sale at Shopper's Drug Mart. A 600 g container of 90% whey protein (chocolate again) for $19.99. Which math wise is $3.33 per 100 g. Even without the sale price, the Shoppers Drug Mart prices for whey protein are still better than Bulk Barn.

So the lesson here is try to shop around and compare prices. And better yet, buy it on sale.

And this also applies to protein bars.

A 20 g protein bar from Shoppers Drug Mart is $2.99.

But in contrast if you go to the grocery store - just a regular grocery store! - you can get Vector Protein Bars for a box of 5 for $2.49. Which is roughly 50 cents each.

Now the Vector bars only have 11 grams of protein per bar (and they taste better), but price wise the PowerBars with their 20 grams of protein are a complete rip off. You just eat 2 Vector bars and you get 22 grams of protein (10% more!) and you save yourself a bundle price wise because it works out to $1 for the two Vector bars to $2.99 for the 1 PowerBar.

So you save money and you get more protein.

I prefer the peanut ones, but the Vector bars come in a variety of nutty flavours. Whenever they are on sale I buy a bunch of them. As healthy snacks go after exercising they are my go to snack these days. That and carrot sticks.

Sleeping Positions and how they Effect your Health

A good night's sleep effects your health in many ways, and likewise different sleeping positions also effect your health - sometimes in adverse ways you didn't know about.

Below we will explore 9 sleeping positions and how they effect your health.

1. On Your Back, Arms at Sides

Good for the back and neck.
Back sleepers tend to snore more and sleep apnea is more common.

2. On Your Back, Arms Up (the Starfish Position)

Good for the back and neck.
Prevents facial wrinkles and skin breakouts.
May result in snoring and problems with acid reflux.
May put pressure on nerves in your shoulders, leading to pain.

3. Face Down

Good for digestion.
Difficulty breathing through your pillow.
May cause neck pain and back pain.

4. Fetal Position

May cause problems for your back and neck.
Restricts deep breathing in the chest.
Good position for problem snorers or pregnant women.

5. On Side, Arms at Sides

Okay for back and neck, also reduces sleep apnea.
May cause facial wrinkles and sagging breasts.

6. On Side, Arms Out

Okay for back and neck, also reduces sleep apnea.
Shoulder and arm pain due to restricted blood flow and pressure on the nerves.

7. On the Right Side

May cause heartburn while you are sleeping.
Better for pregnant women, improves circulation to the fetus.

8. On the Left Side

Puts more strain on your liver, lungs, and stomach (while minimizing acid reflux). This in turn will make you hungrier in the morning.

9. Pillow-Supplemented

Regardless of which sleeping position you prefer, you will get a better night’s rest with less pain in the morning by supplementing your body with a pillow.

Back sleepers can put a small pillow under the arch of their spine, side sleepers can place a pillow between their knees, and stomach sleepers can place a pillow under their hips to support the joints and allow for full, pain-free relaxation.

And remember to stretch every morning after sleeping! It will improve your flexibility after staying in the same position(s) all night.

Scheduling a Personal Trainer

Honestly.

I am so busy sometimes I don't know how I manage to fit in personal training clients half the time. It makes me tempted to raise my rates again.

Case in point. Most of my evenings and weekends are booked pretty solid. If someone wants a training sessions they need to book in advance, sometimes weeks in advance if they want a specific time slot.

The times I am most available are weekday mornings and afternoons - and even those are filling up on specific days.

So if a client asks me for a session on an evening or weekend, I look at my schedule, I look at their location, and I go "Hmm. Yes I can make it." or "Hmm. Nope, can't fit it in." And there is a lot more nopes lately.

But I am not planning to raise my rates any time soon. Maybe in the Spring I will raise my personal training rate to $40 per hour. But for now I will leave it as is.

Why Good Posture Matters

Bad posture hurts your muscles and harms your bone structure.

Good posture builds muscle and maintains bone structure.

But that isn't the end of it. Posture also effects your quality of sleep, eating habits, overall fitness, ability to perform a variety of exercises, and your overall health.

Now how do you improve your posture?

Start by ridding yourself of bad habits like slouching while you sit, leaning forward or backwards too much. Next do stretches every day to improve your flexibility. Lastly, yoga and abdominal exercises will also help to improve your posture - but general exercise will help too.

Live Longer, Eat Healthy and Exercise

The Japanese are some of the longest living people on the planet and no where is this more true than the island of Okinawa, where many of the longest living Japanese people live.

Now keeping in mind this is not a matter of genetics. It is a matter of exercise and diet. The people of Japan simply exercise a lot more and healthier when compared to many other cultures around the planet.

It is very much a health-crazed culture which values eating healthy foods and regular exercise, and this is doubtlessly the biggest contributing factors to their long lifespan.

Japan's quality of health there is ranked number one in the world. Their life expectancy is also number one. If you live in Canada or the USA however it’s a different story, and not one to brag about.

America’s health score is the worst amongst all developed nations. Canada is significantly better, but it is dropping in recent years as a higher obesity rate starts to take grip in Canada. What is funny is that the USA spends more money on health care - billions of dollars more than any other country. The reason is because Americans get sick very easily, they get cancer very easily, and they get a huge variety of health problems very easily - and it is all due to low exercise and an unhealthy diet.

So what is Japan doing right and what is the USA doing wrong?

Infant Mortality Rate

Well lets start with infant mortality rate (IMR) as that can be a big contributor to life expectancy. For example if you have 100 babies and 50% die as infants and the rest live until 100 years old, then the average lifespan is 50 years old. Thus a country with a high IMR will have a lower life expectancy.

Japan's IMR is 2.17 per 1000 births.
USA's IMR is 5.9 per 1000 births.

So right from the very start America is killing their babies with bad food. Or maybe it is some other cause. (Such as a health care system driven by greed...)

Some people point the finger at America's tendency to vaccinate babies like crazy. Babies in the USA get 26 doses of vaccines. Japanese babies gets a mere 12. Now there is no proof that over-vaccination is tied to infant mortality in the USA, but there needs to be a study done on this sometime to see if a lower vaccination schedule would increase the number of babies who live past the first year. Because the IMR alone lowers life expectancy in the USA by a year or two.

Culture

Japanese people believe in being peaceful, calm, positive and to behave honourably. Especially in public. It is sort of a Zen Buddhist thing that they believe in. They believe in being patient, forgiving, kind and virtuous. For the vast majority of Japanese this is working really well because their culture is very low crime.

The murder rate in Japan is 0.4 per 100,000 per year.

The murder rate in the USA is 4.8 per 100,000 per year.

(Note: Japan's suicide rate is higher, but that is only because some of them believe in seppuku - Japanese ritual suicide when a person has dishonoured themselves so much they can no longer perform a role in society. Since seppuku is mostly a male thing it shows in the difference between life expectancy for women and men in Japan, where women live 7 years longer on average. So a quick way to raise your life expectancy is not believe in suicide.)

Exercise

Japanese people love hiking in the mountains. A long mountain climb burns a lot of calories and is a bit like weightlifting for the legs because you are going uphill so much. Many Japanese people also enjoy jogging, swimming, weightlifting and a huge variety of exercises.

Bathing

Now you might not think this is a factor, but many Japanese people swear by it. Soaking in very hot water - especially hot springs - is said to be very therapeutic for the skin. Whether this increase longevity is another topic, but I am mentioning it anyway. The extreme heat of the water does kill bacteria and that contributes to a lower rate of infectious diseases and illnesses.

In contrast most Americans take showers, which doesn't scrub off all the bacteria.

Green Tea

Unsweetened green tea is most common beverage in Japan is tea. Their green tea includes gyokuro, sencha, bancha, matcha (powdered green tea), konacha and hojicha. This may be the healthiest drink that exists and that is why the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese drink it as their main beverage. Green tea is very high in alkaline - and alkaline prevents cancer. When compared to other foods with high alkaline scores green tea has an acid binding score of 53.50 while spinach is only 28.01. (High blood acidity is a high contributor to cancer, so reducing the acid in your blood using alkaline makes a huge difference.)

Green tea also lowers blood pressure because it contains theanine, which helps relax a person. In contrast most Americans drink coffee - which raises blood pressure and makes you jittery.

Diet

Japanese people eat a wide variety of vegetables and also a lot of fish. This extra variety of greens, beans, nuts and berries, and even seaweed means that they get a wide variety of vitamins and minerals in their diet. In contrast most Americans go for "meat and potatoes", which doesn't give them much variety in their diet - and the only seaweed most Americans are eating is an additive to their ice cream.

Fish wise Japanese people eat a lot of tuna and salmon, which is very healthy for you because of the Omega-3 fatty acids in it. In contrast Americans eat a lot of pork, poultry and beef - which are high in bacteria. Fish is readily available all over the USA, but most Americans prefer farm animals for their meat.

Japanese people also eat a lot of soy - which has a long list of health benefits.

With respect to sugary foods Americans eat 3 times that of people in Japan. The average American consumes 153 lbs of sugar per year. That is almost half a pound of sugar per day.

Taken all together the obesity rate in Japan is 3.2%. In the USA it is 35%, so clearly Japan is doing something right and Americans are doing it horrifically wrong.

In an effort to lower obesity rates in Japan even further the Japanese government has reclassified obesity as anyone with a BMI over 25 (the global standard is 30 or more). This way they can scare more Japanese people into eating healthier.

The following is a list of popular foods in Japan:

Sweet potatoes/yam; Soy; Goya - a type of melon; Konnyaku - a Japanese jelly derived from the starchy tuber of the Konjac plant; Shiitake Mushroom; Gobo - a root vegetable; Hechima - a gourd or squash; Seaweed; Turmeric - this spice contains a powerful anti-inflammatory; Mugwort or fuchiba spice; Hihatsu - a type of pepper; Fennel or ichiba spice.

Archery Compliment / Tight Clusters

I got a compliment from a fellow archer today. I don't remember his exact words but it was something like this:

"Wow. You are getting really tight clusters. That is pretty impressive because you're not using a clicker [an Olympic archery gadget]."

My explanation for my tight arrow clusters?

Anchor point, anchor point, anchor point!

Now obviously sometimes you will make a mistake and you will have one shot that isn't near the cluster, but if you get your anchor point really consistent - and your form is super consistent - then your arrows should be in a tight cluster regularly and sometimes even touching one another.

Or on rare occasions you might even hit your own arrow.

September Motivational Quotes

"Don't dream it. Do it. Only then will you succeed."
- Charles Moffat


"Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it."
- Oprah Winfrey

"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."
- Winston Churchill

"Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it."
- Author Unknown

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow."
- Mary Anne Radmacher

"Eighty percent of success is showing up."
- Woody Allen

"Try again. Fail again. Fail better."
- Samuel Beckett 

"Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records."
- William Arthur Ward
 
"Champions keep playing until they get it right."
- Billie Jean King
 
"Fans don't boo nobodies."
- Reggie Jackson
 
"Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts."
- Dan Gable
 
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best."
- Tim Duncan

"Gray skies are just clouds passing over."
- Frank Gifford

Trampoline Workouts - Fun and Low Effort

When it comes to unusual workouts you can't get much weirder than trampoline exercises - or trampoline sports.

 These "death traps" however are not to be taken lightly. As the classic Simpsons episode demonstrates, trampolines can cause some serious injuries so my immediate recommendation is that you start small, use a space with lots of headroom (so you don't hit your head on the ceiling), and proceed slowly with a degree of caution until you get used to the trampoline.

These days you can get a mini exercise trampoline and this will make much more sense if you are getting purely to be part of your workout. (Note that I said "part of your workout". Using a trampoline should not be sole source of your exercise.)

Like any other fitness gadget you will need to learn how to use it properly and safely - and to its full potential, and thus realize also its limitations. You will want to use it barefoot or in socks, pad the area around the trampoline (in case you fall off), and never have food or water on the trampoline with you (it has the potential to make a mess, become a distraction and cause slippery accidents).

8 Super Fun Trampoline Exercises

#1. Start by doing a simple bouncing exercise on both feet for 2 minutes to warm up. This will be relatively relaxing and fun.

#2. Boxing - Upwards, forward and sides. Alternate punching upwards, to the side and forward. Do this for 2 minutes. Take a small break and stretch if you feel tired after this.

#3. Jumping Jacks - Do 50 if you are just starting. 100 if you've done this before.

#4. Snap Kicks - Be careful doing this. You will want to get your foot back down quickly so you need to kick quickly upwards and back down again. (Snap kicks is a basic martial arts move, but definitely fun to do.) Do 20 snap kicks total. Take your time in-between each kick.

#5. Bounce Side to Side for 2 minutes.

#6. Twist Jumps - Twist your hips from side to side while jumping for 2 minutes.

#7. Marching - Get your knees up high while doing this for 2 minutes.

#8. Cool down again by doing a basic bouncing exercise, going slower until you hop off after 2 minutes.

If you get bored of the workout above try making up your own exercises you can do on the trampoline. Experiment!

NOTES

Trampolines are a low impact workout, but it also tones the legs and core muscles because it involves so much jumping and balance.

The National Ballet School in Toronto even uses mini exercise trampolines for their ballet students.

If you suddenly feel dizzy slow down and get off the trampoline. Take a break and drink a small amount of water.

You may feel a significant energy boost after exercising on a trampoline - the reason is because the fun quality of the exercise boosts your adrenaline and other "fun" hormones in your body which make you feel energized.


Trampolines work well when combined with other exercises like jogging outside, doing yoga on a mat, and even weightlifting with free weights at home (not on the trampoline, that is dangerous).

Trampoline exercises don't really burn a lot of calories by themselves. Hence why they work well as a motivator, but not so good at burning fat. Use the trampoline to motivate yourself to exercise - like a reward for completing your morning jog.

Rapid Fire Archery - Different Techniques of Fast Shooting

I have talked about Lars Anderson before in an archery post called Ancient Techniques of Fast Shooting. I highly recommend reading it and watching the video if you are interested in learning how to shoot arrows super fast.

The problem with Lars Anderson's technique is that it requires some specific archery equipment - so you cannot just do that kind of archery with just any bow.

In theory you would need a bow that you can shoot off the right side (which is very unusual for a right-handed shooter) so that you don't have to move the arrow around the bow riser to rest it on the left side (which is the normal place for an right hand archer to shoot off). So right away this means that various longbows and shortbows would be more ideal for this kind of shooting because you could shoot off your left hand's thumb instead of off an arrow rest.

Thus certain styles of archery - like traditional Korean archery or Turkish archery - have a distinct advantage for archers seeking to shoot fast.

In the photo on the right you see a man using a thumb ring and shooting off his thumb on the right side of the bow. Using the thumb ring means he doesn't have to slow down to check his finger positioning on the bowstring so he gains an advantage to his speed. Shooting off his thumb also means he doesn't have to move the arrow around to the left side just to be able to rest it in preparation for his shot. Taken together this speeds up the process of shooting dramatically.

But the big thing is being able to hold your arrows in your right hand in preparation of the next shot. The Lars Anderson technique (which he learned from ancient texts from Persia) is to hold the arrows between his fingers in preparation for the next shot... But he moves so quickly in the videos you cannot see how he positions the arrows so quickly, moving them into readiness to be nocked on the bowstring.

In the video below you will see a man (Adam Swoboda) demonstrating Middle Eastern techniques of fast shooting - but doing them slower than Lars Anderson does so you can see how he holds his arrows in his hand, uses a Mongolian style draw with a thumb ring, and rests the arrow on his thumb while shooting. In the first part of the video Adam Swoboda holds the arrows backwards so they don't interfere with his shot so much and he comparatively takes his time with each individual shot.

In Part 2A of the video he demonstrates another way of shooting, this time holding the arrows in-between his fingers in a manner similar to Lars Anderson's style. It is comparatively faster. Then in Part 2B he does it again, but this time backwards held between the fingers. And lastly Part 3, where he holds the arrows midway on the shaft - and shoots roughly the same speed.


Thus what we have learned from this is partly that fast shooting requires a lot of fingerwork to the point of sleight of hand because it is tricky to hold the arrows like that - let alone 10 of them like Lars Anderson does in the photo at the top of this post.

But the video above also shows Adam Swoboda's mistakes too. His left arm is moving around too much horizontally when he should have it fully extended the entire time, he is taking too much time positioning and nocking the arrow with his fingers, he is simply taking too many motions to get the task done when he only needs TWO motions - nocking arrow in one motion and then pulling back quickly and releasing quickly. Lastly he seems to take his time actually aiming - whereas for speed shooting you want to be aiming more instinctively based on your past experience.

Using a wooden shortbow I recently purchased I have been practicing these fast techniques at home seeking to find my own fast shooting methodology. So far I have eschewed the thumb ring and am instead using a two finger draw method (with no gloves) and hold the arrows between the two fingers doing the drawing (see photo further below). I hold all the arrows between those two fingers and each time I nock a new arrow it happens very naturally because I don't have to move the arrows from one finger to the next before nocking. I also don't do a full draw of the arrow either. I pull it back only part way before each release and then start nocking the next arrow.

Aiming wise I have to do it pretty much instinctively because my nocking method is so fast I don't really have time to consciously aim. HOWEVER, I am getting surprisingly good consistency using this method. I wouldn't have thought it would come so easily, but my arrows are always hitting the target in tight clusters.

During the first day of trying this method I was able to shoot 3 arrows in 2.7 seconds. With practice I may be able to shoot a lot more and hopefully get faster.

Other things I have learned about fast archery...

#1. Canter the bow to the left. I know it feels weird, but the tilt away from the arrow rest allows me to rest the arrow / nock faster and causes no difference to the accuracy quality of my shots. If anything it improves it because the tilt allows me to see the target easier.

#2. Wear gloves and a bracer to protect your hands and forearms. Mistakes will be made and they hurt. Use feather fletching too. Less problems if the fletching rubs against the other arrows' fletching.

#3. Sometimes I accidentally use a three finger draw without realizing it. It doesn't seem to make any difference.

#4. Note to self, buy wider nocks for faster nocking.

#5a. You have to really practice nocking quickly. I find using the backs of my knuckles as a guide for the bowstring works really well and I don't have to think about it to the point it starts to feel instinctive.

#5b. Don't try to use three or more arrows at once. Learn to nock and shoot two arrows very quickly first before trying to do three or more. Master two arrows fast shooting first!

#6. Don't worry about the arrows bumping or rubbing against each other during the nocking or drawing process. It doesn't matter by the time you actually take the shot so don't waste time thinking about it.

#7. I think my reading about Zen (particularly the book "The Unfettered Mind") may have better prepared me for this because I am less distracted by minor things. Avoiding distractions and not dwelling on them by maintaining a disciplined mind that is focused on doing everything quickly seems to make me go faster. If you think about something too much it ends up slowing you down, but you just do it without really thinking you are much faster.

#8. Note to self, buy a better bowstring for my wooden shortbow. Something thinner and easier to nock.

#9. Note to self, switch to double-fletched arrows instead of triple-fletched arrows. I am not sure it will make a difference but I want to see if the double fletching is faster / more accurate for this kind of shooting.

#10. After awhile it starts to feel like I am aiming without really looking at the target. Makes me wonder if I could hit the target blindfolded if I knew where it was and practiced as such.

#11. Learn to nock the arrows by feel - not by sight. Stop looking at the arrows during the process. If anything look at the target (ignore what I said in #11, I was getting over confident) and do everything else in terms of nocking and drawing by feel.

#12. I also tried an alternate method of shooting a nocking which has the bow going completely horizontal, the arrows over the top (left side shooting this time), and the arrows resting on the top of the bow the same way with my fingers as above, but during the draw I keep the bow relatively horizontal and I am pulling back with the fingers facing downwards (which compared to my normal shooting method, is backwards). It actually felt like it had the potential to be faster still than the method I am using above, but would require a lot of practice to get used to. I guess the tip here then is...

Keep practicing!

Nose Exercises - Do you actually need them or are you being overly sensitive of your nose?

Shiksha has been doing the nose exercises for
2 weeks and is already seeing results. But
her nose already pretty small and perfect.

 So far I have posted twice about nose exercises. This post would be the third.

The previous two posts are:

1. Nose Exercises Vs Rhinoplasty

2. Fixing a Crooked Nose using Nose Exercises

The first of these two posts are really popular for people to comment on. Likely because many people think their nose isn't perfect.

I admit myself, my own isn't perfect. It is too wide and at one point it was even crooked because I had been punched in the nose and it had gone a bit crooked - but I managed to fix that crookedness using nose exercises and my nose looks straight again. (I should post before and after photos sometime.)

I have also been doing the nose shortening / squinting exercises and the nose narrower exercise so I can make my nose smaller and thinner - and in my mind, more attractive. I was "blessed" with a big German hawk nose, but thanks to the exercises it is getting smaller and thinner and doesn't look so huge any more.

Now the thing is that the people who comment on the Nose Exercises Vs Rhinoplasty post are basically people just like me - for whatever reason they are dissatisfied with their nose. They might even have been tempted to get rhinoplasty to fix their nose.

Or worse, someone might have even been rude to blurt out something like "You should get a nose job!" (Like that scene in the Seinfeld episode "The Nose Job".)


At which point you have to ask yourself are you the type of person who is actually worried about the appearance of your nose and want to do something about it?

Shiksha's nose is already pretty small - making
her an ideal candidate for nose exercises.

In which case, what are your options and what kind of changes do you want?

Well, obviously here my goal is to encourage people to simply do the nose exercises, be patient and they will see results over the long term by doing them. Their nose will slowly but surely change their shape due to a remaking of the various muscles inside the nose so that eventually your nose is a different shape.

But for a person who lacks patience, or a person who wants really drastic changes (a la Michael Jackson), well then rhinoplasty is going to be their first choice because they won't want to wait to do it through simple exercises because they want dramatic changes right now. Instant gratification and a big surgery bill - and possibly a botched surgery, which happens surprisingly often in that industry. (Elective surgery companies always understate how often botched surgeries happen for fear of scaring customers away and potential lawsuits.)

What nose exercises does however is provide a second option for people who are tempted by surgery, but only want to make small changes to their nose - and they're willing to do the exercises in order to see the long term results.

Here again is the list of Nose Exercises that will help reshape your nose. Please read the full details at Nose Exercises Vs Rhinoplasty so you get a better idea of how long to do the exercises, how often, maintenance, etc.

And if you have a specific problem like a crooked nose (due to a boxing injury, etc) read Fixing a Crooked Nose using Nose Exercises

1. Squinting the Nose

Basically all you do is smile and try to squish your nose upwards using the muscles within your nose. No hands required. This upward "squinting" of the nose will add more girth to muscles in the sides of the nose and, assuming you do it evenly, both sides of the nose will auto-correct themselves with time until they're both equally muscular.

Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat 20 to 30 times daily until your nose muscles straighten out.

2. The Nose Shortener

This exercise isn't so much to repair damage as it is to prevent long term degradation of cartilage within the nose. As you get older your nose continues to grow, and the cartilage in the lower section may weaken and then separate from the upper part of the nose. This often gives the appearance that a hump has developed on the bridge of the nose. A plastic surgeon can perform surgery to improve the shape of your crooked nose or you can do this handy "Nose Shortening" exercise which will help to strengthen the muscles in that region of the nose.

Using your index finger, push the tip of your nose up. Contract the muscle by flexing your nose down against the resistance created by your finger. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat 30 times, each time concentrating on the muscle forcing your finger down. Keep your breathing steady while performing the exercise. To get the maximum results, perform the Nose Shortener exercise twice a day.


3. The Nose Shaper

The upper part of the nose is made of solid bone and the center part is made from cartilage, so there really is not anything that can be done via exercising. However the bottom part of the nose had several different muscles which can be exercised, and by doing so it is possible to change the general shape of your nose. The "Nose Shaper" exercise involves placing your index fingers down either side of your nose, and flaring your nostrils by using the muscles above and below your nostrils. Your fingers create resistance by keeping your fingers in place against the movement of the nostrils, sort of like weightlifting for your nose.

Repeat this exercise 30 times, twice per day. The end result will create a less droopy nose, but the nostrils will appear wider... so if you don't want wider nostrils maybe you should consider the exercise below instead.

4. Nose Narrowing

Want a more narrow nose? Lower your chin and mouth and narrow your nose in the process. This uses a different set of muscles inside your nose which will help tighten up and narrow the appearance of your nose.

Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat 30 times, twice per day, and observe the long term results as your nose becomes more narrow.


5. Nose Wiggling

This one is easier to do in front of a mirror. Wiggle your nose from side to side, without moving your lips/etc. Why? Well, if you can master it then it makes for an interesting party trick. Not sure if its useful in terms of improving your looks however, but presumably it helps build the muscles within your nose.


End Results?

Do you actually need nose exercises? No, not really. But it is your nose. Do you actually need to exercise and eat healthy? No, not really. But it is your body, and therefore you exercise and eat well to keep it healthy and looking good. So choosing to do exercises to correct a crooked nose / etc is your choice - even if your nose seems perfectly normal and beautiful to everyone else.

Well, if nose exercises put a smile on your face then who are we to say no to something that makes you feel better about yourself? (Or in some cases, fixes a boxing injury.)

PERSONALIZED HELP

I am getting a lot of requests from people wanting personalized advice about their nose and what nose exercises they should do, how often they should do them, special circumstances,  etc. My advice is to follow the instructions listed above and on other posts I have made about nose exercises.

If you are contacting me asking me for personalized help - basically asking for my services in aiding you with your nose exercises, then I will need to charge you my personal training rate ($50 per hour) for my services.

I know this is not the answer many of you are looking for. I have already answered many of the frequently asked questions in the comments section of various nose exercise posts, and answered many emails from people asking for help with their nose exercises - but I am a busy person and the emails have reached a point where I need to start charging for this service because I cannot answer all of them.

Best of luck with your nose exercises!

Pape Subway Station closed - Donlands station now routing to Archery Range

If you are planning to get to E.T. Seton Park - home of Toronto's Public Archery Range - via Pape Station and the 25 bus please be advised that Pape Station will be closed from August 19th to 30th and will reopen on August 31st.

In the meantime archers will need to get to the Toronto archery range via Donlands station, where the 25 bus will be rerouted during the 12 day closure.

That or drive. Or bicycle. Or use the Don Valley's many hiking trails (which are easy to get lost on and it is rather far to walk, depending on where you are coming from).

Torontonians looking for archery lessons are advised to contact cardiotrek {atsymbol} gmail.com for more information about lessons and scheduling.

The Benefits of Olympic Weightlifting

Olympic style lifting has many health benefits including:

Multi-joint movement. These are not isolated exercises. Many muscles work at the same time as a group.

Lots of core work (back, side and stomach muscles) involved.

Trains for speed, power and agility.

Strengthens ankles and wrists.

More functional than isolated exercises like bicep curls.

Some examples of Olympic Lifts are:

1. Hang Jump Shrug

2. Clean and Snatch Pulls and High Pull

3. Power Clean and Power Snatch

4. Front and Back Squats

5. Split Squasts and Side Squats

6. Deadlifts

7. Good Morning, Push Press and Push Jerk

But first...
 
Two Basic Weightlifting Positions You Should Learn First

Squat Jumps

This plyometric exercise (a power exercise, your feet will leave the floor) is a staple movement for many Olympic lifts. It's comparatively easy! Start by assuming a basic squat stance with your feet hip width apart, all of the weight on the heels, and your buttocks pushed back like you're about to sit in a chair. Keep your abs tight and back straight.

Next, place your hands behind your head, go down into the squat, until your thighs are basically parallel to the floor.

Finally, focus your energy on pushing up through the heels and ankles and spring upwards. Your feet leave the floor and your body straightens completely in the air.

Tips for Beginners - Begin by using body weight only, and by coming about an inch or so off the ground, just to test for limitations, and to perfect your form. When it becomes too easy, aim for more height. The intermediate step would be to add dumbbells, or a barbell behind your head, placed over your trapezoids.

The Hang Position

This " power position" is the basis for many Olympic lifts. It will set you up for explosive power with jumping lifts, and work on having excellent form for your deadlifts.

Start by getting back into the basic squat position with knees slightly bent, weight on the heels, and buttocks back. With your back straight, and shoulders back, slide your hands down your thighs to your knees. This movement is initiated by bending at the hips, not the knees.

Now that you are leaning forward, arms down, hips back you are ready to start lifting!

Food Motivation Quotes

"You wouldn't choose to eat poison would you? So why would you choose not to eat healthy?"
- Charles Moffat

"I do the same exercises I did 50 years ago and they still work. I eat the same food I ate 50 years ago and it still works."
- Arnold Schwarzenegger

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating."

- Luciano Pavarotti

"Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people."

- Elizabeth Berry
"When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste."

- Laiko Bahrs

"It's bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children's health than the pediatrician."

- Meryl Streep

"The bagel, an unsweetened doughnut with rigor mortis."

- Beatrice & Ira Freeman

"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons."

- Alfred E. Newman

"Tell me what you eat, I'll tell you who you are."

- Anthelme Brillat-Savarin 

Hang Jump Shrug

Hang Jump Shrug is a simple weightlifting exercise that is recommended after mastering the jump squat.

Instructions

1. Start by holding a lightweight loaded barbell or a light pair of dumbbells with a pronated (palms facing back toward your thighs) grip. Your grip is shoulder width apart and your feet a little wider than hips.

2. Lower the weight down to your knees and get into what is called the "hang" or "power position".

3. Remember to slightly bend your knees, and stick your hips back while lowering. Keep the back straight with the eyes and chest lifted. This position will feel like leaning forward to look out a short window.

4. Next, push into the ground with your feet and jump up and straight with power. During this movement, with arms straight, simultaneously shrug the shoulders up toward the ears.

5. Land flat footed with knees bent and hips back. This absorbs the landing in the hips, oppose to landing on your toes and taking the impact in the knees.

6. Reset position for next rep.

Do 3 sets of 20 or 6 sets of 10, whichever you are more comfortable with.